Windows 7 multi-touch; iPhone limit raised; TomTom iPhone GPS?

[AppleInsider]

The sequel to Windows Vista will include touch input that outperforms the iPhone, Microsoft claims. Also, the iPhone's buyers are no longer faced with a two-unit cap, and a rumor claims that TomTom is producing a GPS unit for the Apple handset.

Windows leaping to multi-touch for next upgrade?

Microsoft test engineer Hilton Locke drew attention on Wednesday by touting that the next major upgrade to Windows, currently dubbed Windows 7, will outshine any of Apple's current efforts in multi-touch interfaces.

Those who know the iPhone will be "blown away" by what's possible, Locke says.

The company has also expanded into multi-touch hardware of its own as of late and is planning to debut its Surface touch table at hotels and other public spaces next year.

Apple raises limits on iPhone purchases

iPhone buyers in Britain and the US can now buy as many as five iPhones at once, according to Apple.

The phone maker temporarily imposed a limit of two per person in late October both to maintain healthy stock for the holidays and, unofficially, to curb bulk purchases of iPhones destined for unauthorized unlocking attempts.

Rumor: TomTom prepping iPhone GPS receiver

A Dutch tipster has submitted a photo to Engadget of what he claims is evidence of a GPS receiver in the works by TomTom for the iPhone.

According to the rumor, the device would attach to the iPhone's dock connector and provide real-time navigation for the Apple handset, which today has no GPS of its own and relies on the user to find their position using Google Maps.

TomTom is one of the most popular GPS device producers in the world and is based in the Netherlands, supporting the alleged scoop. No evidence has been found of support for GPS in Apple's phone, however.

NBC refunding advertisers due to writer's strike

In a move that has not been seen for years, the TV network NBC is compensating its advertisers as ratings drop during the ongoing writers' strike, say media buyers.

Companies that bought advertising space are seeing an average of $500,000 for their troubles, which began in early November but may only get worse in January. Other major networks are also experiencing a shortfall but are faring better, the according to reports.

The payout compounds NBC's existing drops in revenue, which included abandoning iTunes TV show sales worth at least $15 million over the past year in favor of its web-only, ad-sponsored Hulu service. The broadcaster's service is still in a closed beta test and not yet open to the public at large.

[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]

[solipsism]

Sweet! I love my TomTom and my iPhone.


PS: F@#k NBC!

[Ireland]

The next version of Windows will be better than the iPhone? Har har. Yeah, and Longhorn's going to rock too? Right, pull the other one. The next version of OS X is going to be out before the next version of Windows. And the Mac touch is going to be out before that.

[zenwaves]

They should have a market ready reply to multitouch by about 2009.

Originally Posted by AppleInsider

Windows leaping to multi-touch for next upgrade?

Microsoft test engineer Hilton Locke drew attention on Wednesday by touting that the next major upgrade to Windows, currently dubbed Windows 7, will outshine any of Apple's current efforts in multi-touch interfaces.

Those who know the iPhone will be "blown away" by what's possible, Locke says.

The company has also expanded into multi-touch hardware of its own as of late and is planning to debut its Surface touch table at hotels and other public spaces next year.

[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]

[JeffDM]

Good luck! Microsoft has four years to best the current iPhone. I think Apple will best their own product well before then.

[dontlookleft]

oh how the world fails without the writers.


hopefully that'll be over soon.

[TiAdiMundo]

Microsoft did have a lot of knowledge about touch in Windows since they introduced the Tablet PC concept. The new Dell Tablet PC will get multi touch in a software update soon, here's a video

[eAi]

Originally Posted by JeffDM

Good luck! Microsoft has four years to best the current iPhone. I think Apple will best their own product well before then.

Seems pretty likely doesn't it? I wouldn't be surprised if their ultra portable had some sort of multi-touch, if not, something in the tablet size will likely have it over the next year or so. Apple are going to want to multi-touch everything they can as soon as they can so they can have it as a signature feature before Microsoft catches up.

[Kolchak]

That's really not so hard. The iPhone, after all, only uses a tiny subset of the MultiTouch technology Apple got with their purchase of FingerWorks. The real question is how well would it compare with the complete MultiTouch. There was a report within the last two weeks here at AI that Apple was making improvements to the MT technology that's not related to the iPhone.

[JeffDM]

It's nice to see a GPS unit, though I'd think that it would be nice to have it use a Bluetooth serial link.

[filburt]

Originally Posted by solipsism

Sweet! I love my TomTom and my iPhone.

Yeah except that the news is fake.

[reallynotnick]

Originally Posted by Ireland

The next version of Windows will be better than the iPhone?

You beat me too it, if Windows 7 can not beat out my iPod touch in like 3-4 years (probably 6, unless somehow they can pull it together cut vista off at the legs and make it 2, lmao, can't believe I said that), then M$ has some pretty big issues.

I am all for competition in the multitouch area... where are those linux guys anyway?

[a_greer]

SCREW TOMTOM...get a dash mount garmin for like $155... Garmins are better anyway...more accurate maps (at least in rual Indiana), better interfaces and better hardware.

[a_greer]

Originally Posted by TiAdiMundo

Microsoft did have a lot of knowledge about touch in Windows since they introduced the Tablet PC concept. The new Dell Tablet PC will get multi touch in a software update soon, here's a video

I don't believe that the dell tablet doesnt exist...I have been trying to order them for months for work...the release date has been pushed back like 25 times now...hell, the last I heard they were supposed to announce and ship Yesterday.

[anantksundaram]

Originally Posted by TiAdiMundo

Microsoft did have a lot of knowledge about touch in Windows since they introduced the Tablet PC concept. The new Dell Tablet PC will get multi touch in a software update soon, here's a video

The fact that you have a lot of knowledge about something does not mean you have a lot of smarts about that thing.

[anantksundaram]

Originally Posted by Kolchak

There was a report within the last two weeks here at AI that Apple was making improvements to the MT technology that's not related to the iPhone.

Say more......?

[MadIvan]

Originally Posted by TiAdiMundo

Microsoft did have a lot of knowledge about touch in Windows since they introduced the Tablet PC concept. The new Dell Tablet PC will get multi touch in a software update soon, here's a video

I didn't see any multitouch in that video. What I saw was capacitive touch sensing, MS OneNote, the same old inefective touch-as-mouse paradigm, and some really non-intuitive gestural controls. DOA if you ask me. That flick thing was really awful. I think about ten flicks into scrolling through a long document I'd be ready to throw that thing through the nearest window.

[DCJ001]

Originally Posted by TiAdiMundo

Microsoft did have a lot of knowledge about touch in Windows since they introduced the Tablet PC concept. The new Dell Tablet PC will get multi touch in a software update soon, here's a video

... just not for a while.

[GQB]

Just how many times does MS think it can play this same scam?

1. Good product A comes out (oh, say Dr DOS)
2. MS makes huge announcement that they have a version 'about to be released' that will blow everyone away.
3. Everyone puts off buying product A (encouraged by MS sponsored trade rags) because we all know that MS wouldn't BS people.
4. Product A withers away because of 3.
5. MS comes out far later then they promised with their rip-off of Product A, except that their product sucks. (But competition matters not, because Company A has been driven out of business.

The difference is that Apple isn't Company A (at least this time), and MS has never succeeded in a market where they have to compete.

But give them credit for trying the same FUD play yet again.

(BTW, aren't they embarrassed yet calling 'Surface' a real interface? Its essentially a 100 pound box of projectors pointing up. About as sophisticated as the kids games you see in malls with projectors overhead that project on the floor as kids stomp around on the bubbles to make them move.

Pathetic.

[Kolchak]

Originally Posted by anantksundaram

Say more......?

Apple patents for MT

[wirc]

It's sad really. I know some very brilliant people who work for Microsoft, but they lack some kind of leadership or management to actually deliver good products frequently or the acuity to develop or buy up new technologies.

Also, should I install SIlverlight? Or is that simply a crime against standards-based technology?

[SpamSandwich]

Well, for worse & worser, multi-touch is about to hit consumer products across the board (I'd guess) and it will be implemented in the absolute worst way possible by so many different consumer products companies eager to flog the trend to death.

[skottichan]

Originally Posted by GQB

Just how many times does MS think it can play this same scam?

1. Good product A comes out (oh, say Dr DOS)
2. MS makes huge announcement that they have a version 'about to be released' that will blow everyone away.
3. Everyone puts off buying product A (encouraged by MS sponsored trade rags) because we all know that MS wouldn't BS people.
4. Product A withers away because of 3.
5. MS comes out far later then they promised with their rip-off of Product A, except that their product sucks. (But competition matters not, because Company A has been driven out of business.

The difference is that Apple isn't Company A (at least this time), and MS has never succeeded in a market where they have to compete.

But give them credit for trying the same FUD play yet again.

(BTW, aren't they embarrassed yet calling 'Surface' a real interface? Its essentially a 100 pound box of projectors pointing up. About as sophisticated as the kids games you see in malls with projectors overhead that project on the floor as kids stomp around on the bubbles to make them move.

Pathetic.

Oh....you mean like the promised shifts in paradigm such as; Cairo, Origami, NT (pre-New Technology), Longhorn, "The iPod Killer", Sparkle, shall I continue?

[bdkennedy1]

Unfortunately for Microsoft, you can't believe anything they say about future product implementation.

Windows ME was supposed to be XP, Windows XP was supposed to be Vista, and they pulled out all of the top major functionality they were going to include in Vista, making it another minor upgrade instead of a major one and covering it up with bling.

Multi-touch will be great, but with Microsoft's track record, it will be lucky to make it into Windows 8. They need to re-write their OS from the scratch and they're too scared to do it.

I also have to question the authenticity of a test engineer releasing this information. Right now all Hilton Locke has is a test plan on paper saying all the wonderful things it does.

[tundraboy]

MultiTouch is sooooooooo overrated. It is not going to replace the keyboard and mouse/touchpad. It's a fad. The main drawback? Economy of motion, or the lack thereof. Sit down in front of your computer and imagine reaching up and out to touch the screen as often as you manipulate your mouse now, or even more often if some multitouch proponents are to be heeded. It's an ergonomic nightmare!

[skottichan]

Originally Posted by tundraboy

MultiTouch is sooooooooo overrated. It is not going to replace the keyboard and mouse/touchpad. It's a fad. The main drawback? Economy of motion, or the lack thereof. Sit down in front of your computer and imagine reaching up and out to touch the screen as often as you manipulate your mouse now, or even more often if some multitouch proponents are to be heeded. It's an ergonomic nightmare!

Actually, Apple's filed a patent for a multitouch input device (a la Keyboard). So I seriously doubt they're wanting the consumer to reach up and touch the screen. I admit, it's not for everyone, my dad loves his old school clacker IBM keyboard on his PC, my mom loves her MacBook Pro's keyboard, but I would love a user customizable multitouch keyboard. It'd make navigating Photoshop/Illustrator/Flash's shortcuts, etc.

[nofear1az]

OMgosh.... here we go again with Microsoft.... we can copy that and make it better, just wait, you watch, it'll be better, you'll see...... Microsoft is always out to duplicate everything everyone else does.... do they ever come up with something on their own.... Nooooo, cuz they don't care about the consumer, they only care about owning the market and reaping in the money no matter how bad the product really is. If Microsoft actually gave a crap about creating something like a craftsman did then Microsoft would be so much better. It's unfortunate, how Microsoft is and it's even more unfortunate how many people buy into the Microsoft way.

I would feel different about Microsoft if they actually cared about their consumers and their products so they didn't suck so bad. Sucks for me, cuz I have to spend all day fixing desktop problems where it's 90% related to a Microsoft product; but it does keep me a job so maybe I should be thanking them for sucking so bad.

[freelander51]

Originally Posted by AppleInsider

A Dutch tipster has submitted a photo to Engadget of what he claims is evidence of a GPS receiver in the works by TomTom for the iPhone.

Quote from "Casino Royale" : Isn't funny what you can do with Photoshop these days.....

[melgross]

I'm sure they can come out with something in two years, the question is what?

[jamiec]

Originally Posted by MadIvan

I didn't see any multitouch in that video. What I saw was capacitive touch sensing, MS OneNote, the same old inefective touch-as-mouse paradigm, and some really non-intuitive gestural controls. DOA if you ask me. That flick thing was really awful. I think about ten flicks into scrolling through a long document I'd be ready to throw that thing through the nearest window.

I totally agree. It was painful to watch him try to flip through his Vista-rolodex of windows one at a time, flick, flick, flick, flick. Anyone with an iPhone who was used to breezing through coverflow with a single flick would be appalled.

If they're trying to design a product that blows away the iPhone, they're halfway there -- they have a product that blows.

[SeaFox]

Originally Posted by AppleInsider

Microsoft test engineer Hilton Locke drew attention on Wednesday by touting that the next major upgrade to Windows, currently dubbed Windows 7, will outshine any of Apple's current efforts in multi-touch interfaces.

What a laughable comment. Microsoft is hoping to surpass the iPhone with their next version of Windows. So their goal is now to surpass the 2007 Mac OSX by 2012? Way to raise the bar, kids.

[mdriftmeyer]

Originally Posted by freelander51

Quote from "Casino Royale" : Isn't funny what you can do with Photoshop these days.....

Isn't it funny

[melgross]

Originally Posted by jamiec

If they're trying to design a product that blows away the iPhone, they're halfway there -- they have a product that blows.

That was a good one!

[ascii]

I'm sure Apple will be no slouch about keeping their touch technology up to date also.

[camimac]

Originally Posted by AppleInsider

Microsoft test engineer Hilton Locke drew attention on Wednesday by touting that the next major upgrade to Windows, currently dubbed Windows 7, will outshine any of Apple's current efforts in multi-touch interfaces.

Those who know the iPhone will be "blown away" by what's possible, Locke says.

Is Windows 7 a code name for 2017?

Microsoft is all about talk and no action, whereas Apple is more action and less talk. I guess it's just a way for MS to say, "hey, we can come up with something good too"... not! The only way I can see being blown away by Windows is because it will be nothing but a fart.

[McDavies]

Wow, In 10 years, They have what I have today. Way cool.

[digitalclips]

Originally Posted by McDavies

Wow, In 10 years, They have what I have today. Way cool.

Ah but to outshine Apple and knowing Microsoft's genius, theirs will probably require a THREE HAND INPUT ....

[digitalclips]

Originally Posted by tundraboy

MultiTouch is sooooooooo overrated. It is not going to replace the keyboard and mouse/touchpad. It's a fad. The main drawback? Economy of motion, or the lack thereof. Sit down in front of your computer and imagine reaching up and out to touch the screen as often as you manipulate your mouse now, or even more often if some multitouch proponents are to be heeded. It's an ergonomic nightmare!

That's true if you assume all multitouch is for is replacing the other inputs. However, if you see it as enhancing and adding to what and how we input it is a different story. Remember how similar arguments were made against the mouse by keyboard aficionados back in 1984? Yet try to imagine using Photoshop without a mouse! Of course there was no Photoshop until Apple created Mac Paint and Mac Draw to point the way. Uses for multitouch will emerge that we will look back on 2007 and see it as a turning point in what can be done in the same way we look back at 1984. One small example is the iPhone and that is probably going to seem like a Mac Plus in a few years in terms of its simplicity.

One good thing is Apple has stopped helping the likes of Adobe who just took Mac Paint and ran with it (not to take away from Adobe's work on PostScript). These days Apple keep their genius in house and I can't wait to see what Apple develop for multitouch that will be Apple only.

[Kolchak]

Originally Posted by tundraboy

MultiTouch is sooooooooo overrated. It is not going to replace the keyboard and mouse/touchpad. It's a fad. The main drawback? Economy of motion, or the lack thereof. Sit down in front of your computer and imagine reaching up and out to touch the screen as often as you manipulate your mouse now, or even more often if some multitouch proponents are to be heeded. It's an ergonomic nightmare!

Written like someone who doesn't know what he's talking about. For the last time: MultiTouch is NOT synonymous with a touchscreen. FingerWorks, which developed the MT technology Apple uses, sold quite a few devices, none of which were touchscreen-related. Read the link above to an AppleInsider story about new Apple patents on MultiTouch. Do you really think they're talking about curved touchscreens under your hands? Do try to learn something about the topics before spouting off about them.

FYI, I'm on my fourth year with a FingerWorks iGesture tablet. I can do ten times what anyone else can do with a mouse or trackball with much less hand motion. How's that for your "economy of motion, or the lack thereof"?

[JeffDM]

Originally Posted by tundraboy

MultiTouch is sooooooooo overrated. It is not going to replace the keyboard and mouse/touchpad. It's a fad. The main drawback? Economy of motion, or the lack thereof. Sit down in front of your computer and imagine reaching up and out to touch the screen as often as you manipulate your mouse now, or even more often if some multitouch proponents are to be heeded. It's an ergonomic nightmare!

I don't think it has to be a vertical screen. It may be that the conventional computer form factor has ruined people's imagination. It could be on the work surface like you would with a piece of paper. I think Avid was showing off such a concept at NAB'07, but it's probably too expensive for most people to see.

Originally Posted by freelander51

Quote from "Casino Royale" : Isn't funny what you can do with Photoshop these days.....

I missed that line.